Series progressive lubricant metering device

Abstract

A lubricant metering device comprised of a housing having an opening formed therein. The housing has an inlet port communicating with the opening and a plurality of outlet ports communicating with the opening. An insert is disposed within the opening. A plurality of valve spools is provided within the insert, each valve spool being reciprocally movable within a bore in the insert. Fluid passages are formed in the insert. The fluid passage connects the inlet port in the housing to each bore in the insert, connects each bore to the other bore in the insert, and connects each bore to at least one outlet port in the housing, wherein each spool will move in sequence to dispense a metered quantity of lubricant to an outlet port, as long as lubricant under pressure is applied to the inlet port.

1 . A lubricant metering device, comprised of: 
 a housing having an opening formed therein, said housing having an inlet port communicating with said opening and a plurality of outlet ports communicating with said opening;    an insert disposed within said opening;    a plurality of valve spools within said insert, each valve spool being reciprocally movable within a bore in said insert; and    fluid passages formed in said insert, said fluid passage connecting said inlet port in said housing to each bore in said insert, connecting each bore to the other bore in said insert, and connecting each bore to at least one outlet port in said housing, wherein each spool will move in sequence to dispense a metered quantity of lubricant to an outlet port, as long as lubricant under pressure is applied to said inlet port.    
   
   
       2 . A lubricant metering device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said bores includes fluid circuitry connecting each end of said bore to an outlet port in said housing.  
   
   
       3 . A lubricant metering device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fluid circuitry in said insert is comprised of openings extending into said insert and channels formed along the surface of said insert.  
   
   
       4 . A lubricant metering device as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said channels in said insert form fluid passages when said insert is disposed within said housing.  
   
   
       5 . A lubricant metering device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said cavity in said housing is cylindrical in shape and said insert is cylindrical in shape.  
   
   
       6 . A lubrication metering device as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said insert is press fit into said housing.  
   
   
       7 . A progressive, sequential lubricant metering device, comprised of: 
 a housing having an opening formed therein, said opening defining an inner surface within said housing;    a fluid inlet in said housing communicating with said opening;    “N” number of fluid outlets in said housing communicating with said opening; and    an insert disposed within said opening in said housing, said insert having “n” number of bored openings formed therein, where “N” is twice “n”; 
 a reciprocally movable valve element in each of said bored openings; and  
 a plurality of fluid passages connecting each bored opening to the other bored opening and connecting each bored opening to a fluid outlet, wherein each of said valve elements will move in sequence to dispense a metered quantity of lubricant to an outlet, as long as lubricant under pressure is applied to said inlet port.